(Closed) Vendor Meals

So, my final count is due in a few days and I was wondering if you include vendors in it? I don’t think my reception venue has special prices for them (they only mentioned reduced price meals for the kids when I asked) and I do want them to go through the buffet line. (Since my reception is at a restaurant, I doubt they’d put together the “vendor meals” of sandwiches and chips, though I wouldn’t go that route, anyway).

How did you handle this? Paying full price for the DJ, photographer, etc. seems ridiculous to me.

You should talk to your venue about it. Everyone here could tell you what their venue does, but it won’t necessarily help you.

For us, there are “adult meals” and “child meals,” and there are alcohol drink packages and non-alcoholic drink packages. There are also “vendor meals,” but we aren’t going with those. For vendors, we pay for an adult meal and a non-alcoholic drink package, since they won’t be drinking on the job (the same combination as someone who is under 21 but would prefer an adult meal). It’s only fair, since you are getting the same meal for the vendors as you are for your guests, so it should cost the same.

Just ask your reception venue/caterer directly what they can do for you in the way of discounts for vendors. If you can’t prevent the vendors from going up for desserts then you may have to pay full price and they should be included in your head count so that enough food is provided.

Definitely ask your venue/caterer – ours provided a discounted boxed lunch for all our vendors, it was about a $50 difference! I feel like it must be standard for them to offer some kind of cheaper option.

I am definitely making sure our vendors are fed and happy, whatever the cost. Afterall, they are sacrificing several hours of their time on a weekend night providing memories for my special day and I definitely don’t want them tired of hungry in any way. I know for me personally, I’m super grumpy when I’m hungry so I don’t need my vendors feeling the same way or having to leave to get dinner and missing important moments of the wedding. Luckily our caterer offers cheaper bagged lunches for our vendors.